Catholic students threatened with arrest at L.A. cathedral

"Today's attempted arrest in Los Angeles of the student participants in American Life League's Crusade for the Defense of Our Catholic Church is beyond scandalous," said Judie Brown, president of American Life League. "Since when is it against the law for Catholics to defend the Catholic faith at a Catholic cathedral? We are outraged at the situation."

Today's scene occurred when more than a dozen young people attempted to attend the inauguration ceremonies of Antonio Villaraigosa, mayor-elect of Los Angeles, who is a pro-abortion Catholic. The young adults are part of American Life League's 2005 Crusade for Life walks in which they are trekking from San Diego to Sacramento spreading the truth about the incompatibility of Catholicism and support of abortion.

The group planned to attend the inauguration ceremonies, beginning at the cathedral, and peacefully protest with shirts and signs that read: you can't be Catholic and pro-abortion.

"It is an outrage that an event honoring a pro-abortion Catholic public figure that openly supports the killing of the preborn would occur at Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral," said Brown. "It is even more shameful that Cardinal Mahony and others would attempt to censor faithful Catholic students from proclaiming the truth."

"American Life League calls for the immediate resignation of Cardinal Roger Mahony in light of his continued defiance of Church teaching," said Brown. "His coddling of pro-abortion Catholic public figures in California is beyond reproach and should not be tolerated by the hierarchy of the Catholic Church."

The young activists were eventually allowed inside of the cathedral, but only after the Los Angeles Police Department intervened in the situation. "How ironic that the cathedral security guards wanted to arrest the students and the LAPD had to step in and point out that such an act would be unconstitutional," said Brown. "The truths of the Church will always stand strong, regardless of who attempts to stifle them...even a cardinal."